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Greig McDonald Appointed First-Team Manager

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Greig McDonald as our new First-Team Manager.

Greig returned to the club as Assistant Manager towards the end of last year after enjoying a hugely successful playing stint at Bayview. Joining towards the end of the 2002/03 promotion winning season, he went on to make 189 appearances in the black & gold, scoring 36 goals and picking up a Third Division winners medal with the club in 2007/08. Greig left Bayview in May 2009 for Stirling Albion where he was appointed player-manager in January 2012 and guided the side to promotion to League One via the play-offs in 2014.

Greig was appointed caretaker Manager last month following the departure of Stevie Crawford to Dundee United and has overseen a recent upturn in form, including away victories against Forfar Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose.

Paul Thomson will also continue on at Bayview in his new role as Assistant Manager. Prior to joining East Fife, Paul held the position as Head of Youth at Heart of Midlothian and was responsible for running the Hearts performance school at Balerno High School.

Lindsay Hamilton will also be continuing on in his role as Goalkeeping Coach, a position he's held as the club since 2018. As a player, Lindsay signed on at Bayview in 1995, making 76 appearances over 2 seasons at East Fife and was part of the team that won promotion to the First Division under Steve Archibald in 1995/96.

Greig McDonald: “I am both delighted and honoured to be named as Manager of East Fife Football Club. The board, and everyone associated with the club, have been fully behind us during my recent spell as caretaker and I look forward to their continuing support as we enter this exciting new chapter.

“I’d specifically like to thank Paul Thomson, Lindsay Hamilton and the players for their response and hard work over the last few weeks and I’m very much looking forward to continuing to build on that good work with them over the remainder of the season and beyond.

“To the supporters, I’d like to acknowledge all of the best wishes and good luck messaged I’ve received, it’s been greatly appreciated and, as a group, I can promise that we will work tirelessly to give you an East Fife team to be proud of”.

Chairman Jim Stevenson added: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Greig McDonald as our new manager. Greig very much has East Fife in his heart, and it was very clear from both his interview and the conversations I’ve had with him over the last few weeks how he plans to improve the club going forward and, as a board, we will support him in any way we can.

“I’m also delighted that Paul Thomson has been named as Greig’s Assistant Manager. A lot of Paul’s work at the club until this point may have gone unnoticed to supporters but I know the players highly value his knowledge and input which many have highlighted in recent post-match interviews.

“The board was impressed with the standard of all applicants who were interviewed for the position, and we would like to wish them well for their future endeavours”.

Greig’s first official match as Manager will be on Saturday when we welcome Elgin City to Bayview.

Congratulations Greig!

Match Report - Stenhousemuir

East Fife ventured west to Ochilview to take on Stenhousemuir in the second round of the Scottish Cup. The last match between the two teams in the league was a 2-1 win for the Warriors despite a Jack Healy wonder goal, for the Fifers at Bayview earlier this season. The Methil men won last weekend with an emphatic 4-1 victory against Bonnyrigg Rose. 

Three changes were made to the team that beat Bonnyrigg Rose with Reece Beveridge replacing the absent Allan Fleming. Scott Mecer and Joao Balde both missed out through suspension and were replaced in the starting line-up by Jack Healy and Taylor Steven.

East Fife ball got rolling however it was Stenhousemuir who were quickest to threaten when Ewan O’Reilly’s shot forced Beveridge into a save. From the resulting corner, Yates found Adam Corbett who stabbed the ball home at the second attempt. 

However, East Fife weren’t behind for long. Healy picked up the ball on the right side, with Forbes and Philp standing tall in front of him, he knocked the ball through the middle of the two to get into the box and score with the inside of his boot.

In the tenth minute, an earlier substitution was enforced on the Fifers as Stewart Murdoch made way for Liam Parker. 

Quickly after Healy’s goal, he had another chance to put the Fifers 2-1 up when he skipped past Wedderburn to get his shot away on the edge of the box, however the ball is dragged narrowly wide of the post. 

As East Fife seriously began to pile on the pressure, Liam Newton was played through by Scott Shepherd however a last-ditch tackle from Miller cleared the ball but only as Millar on the right-hand side of the box who dinked the ball onto the head of Schiavone, however his headed effort was wide of the upright. 

On the half hour mark, the Warriors regained the lead when a low cross from Adam Brown

Was turned in at the back post by an unmarked Matty Yates.

Towards the end of the half, Forbes forced Beveridge to pull off an important diving save to keep the deficit to one heading into the break. 

HALF TIME: Stenhousemuir 2-1 East Fife

3 minutes into the second half, Taylor Steven had a chance to equalise for the visitors when he took the ball past Corbett and his shot forces Brennan to tip the ball around the post and out for a corner.

O’Reilly went close with another effort, but Sam Denham was able to put in a crucial block to put the ball very closely wide of the net.

With fifteen minutes left, Alan Trouten replaced Taylor Steven. A short free kick was played by Ferguson to Healy and from around 30-yard he unleashed an effort that Brennan tipped over the bar to prevent another Jack Healy stunner. 

The home side had a moment to kill the game but Beveridge was able to pull off another top save to deny Forbes from close range.

After six minutes of injury time the referee brough an end to proceedings. A very scrappy and uneventful second half came to an end securing the third-round entry for the Warriors. 

The Fifers have a home match against Elgin City up next as the team will hope to put the woes of the cup behind them and try to secure maximum points against the black and whites. 

FULL TIME: Stenhousemuir 2-1 East Fife 

Andrew Laing

Stenhousemuir Team: Brennan, Jamieson (Alker 90+4’), Higgins, Corbett, Forbes, Wedderburn, Philp, Miller, Brown (Anderson 58’), O’Reilly (Orr 80’), Yates

East Fife Team: Beveridge, Murdoch (Parker 10’), Denham, Steele, Millar (L Williamson 85’), Healy, Newton, Shepherd, Schiavone (Cunningham 85’), Ferguson, Steven (Trouten 65’)

Referee: George Calder

Match Highlights v Stenhousemuir

Highlight's from Saturday's match against Stenhousemuir along with post-match reaction from Greig McDoanld, Liam Parker and Reece Beveridge